Proceedings of the New Zealand Ecological Society (1972) 19: 143- 154

Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau: Applied ecological studies of shoreline vegetation at lakes Manapouri and Te Anau, Fiordland: Part 3: Vegetation of the Lake Te Anau shoreline.

Research Article
A. F. Mark  
J. R. Crush  
C. D. Meurk  
  1. Department of Botany, University of Otago
Abstract: 

Approximately 44 per cent of the forested mainland shoreline of Lake Te Anau appears to be vulnerable to high water tables maintained for unnaturally long periods. Results of 22 traverses across representative sites suggest a delicate ecological balance between natural lake level variation, shoreline relief and vegetation. Root distribution of beech trees along the shoreline confirms their general intolerance of prolonged inundation although diameter growth of trees growing on unconsolidated material showed a significant decline during a drought season rather than in an exceptionally wet one